Workmen's advocate., 1887-03-19
SAILORS w ARNING.
TERRIBLE EXPERIENCES OF
 ''LANDSMEN" AT SEA.
Another Form of Exploitation Not Usually Noticed An Unorgan ized Industry Cruelty to
 Sailors The Law to
 be Appealed to.


 One day last week sailor lad called at this office and requested us to publish warning to men who are contemplating a seaman's life rather than starve on shore for want of work. As our informant intends to nave the offending parties ar- rested, the story must be told with out exposing the names of the officers, for these people have way of escaping the law by turning their vessel over to the keeping of another set of officers, and thus eyade the pc lice who may be ready to give them a becoming reception on their return.
 Our sailor was a landsman when he shipped aboard a New Bedford whaler through the influence brought to bear on him by a New York agent. Out of work, and compelled to do something to keep from starving, he succumbea to the wiles of the viii lanous agent, who made him great promises, among which were that he could return from a two vears' voyage with $500 clear. and that aboard ship he would be found i'll good meals and clothing. But he had to say he was twenty-one years of age in order to get the position before the mast. This the young man eagerly did, for he could not see his way clear to refuse work by giving his true age-nlneteen, He could not speak a word of English, and when he arrived at New Bed ford with a contingent of men as green as himself, he was easily in- duced to sign "artlcles,' which con signed him to terrible experience. He was taken to a clothing store and a number of garments were thrown into chest in his possession to the value of about forty dollars. Then he was taken aboard the yes sel and ordered to change his clothes. At the same time he was given a slip of paper. Taking his chest and descending into the sailors quarters forward, he looked at the slip of paper. The fact that it was q bill for the clothing dawned upon him, and the amount was round hun dred dollars. His first impulse was to rush out on deck and seek an eX- planatlon from the captain; but he did as the rest did and changed his clothes. donning the sailor suit "bought" a short time before
 No sooner was he dressed than all hands were ordered on deck, when to their astonishment they found themsein ,s far out at sea. The crew consisted of Portuguese, German, Swedes, Irish and English sailors and landsmen.
 What made the situation more om- inous was the display of fire arms by the captain and mate. The men were entirely unarmed.
 After much suffering from bad food-rotten, maggoty pork and beef-and bad treatment, eight of the crew deserted upon reaching Fayal. One of them was recaptured, placed in irons, and subjected to the grossest indignities while he was be- ing starved into submission. And so it went till finally our informant suffered the following cruel treat ment:
 The mate gave an order which was not heard by the watch. and our friend was lover the bow" at the time, so that he could not have obeyed even if he had heard the order. He explained to the mate, but that individual was determined to gratlfy his cruel disposition, and struck the young man, knocking out his front teeth. Not content with this he grasped an iron belaying pin and prepared to strike death blow, when the captain interfered, and with more refined cruelty ordered the young man hung up to the Yard